And here’s another one: “Rome had trouble maintaining a distinction between public and private
responsibilities—and between public and private resources. The line
between these is never fixed, anywhere. But when it becomes too hazy,
or fades altogether, central government becomes impossible to steer. It
took a long time to happen, but the fraying connection between imperial
will and concrete action is a big part of What Went Wrong in ancient
Rome. America has in recent years embarked on a privatization binge
like no other in its history, putting into private hands all manner of
activities that once were thought to be public tasks—overseeing the
nation’s highways, patrolling its neighborhoods, inspecting its food,
protecting its borders.”